Antislip tread



Jan, 9, 1951 L. H. DowLlNG, sR 2,537,123

ANTIsLIP TREAD y Filedv March 51, 195o' Wbw z fw Attorneys' PatentedJan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTISLIP TIpEAD pVLeslie-Horace,Dowling, Sr., Birmingham, England Application March 31,1950.', Serial No. 153,108

,In Great Britain September 24, 1949 This invention relates to footwearfor outdoor use and is especially, but not exclusively, applicable toboots to be worn when playing various kinds of football games; the widerapplications of my invention comprehend boots and shoes for golf,hockey, walking, running, jumping, mountaineering and analogous sportsand outdoor exercises particularly where slippery or ice-bound surfacesobtain.

The present invention is a development of that described in myconcurrent application for Letters Patent Serial Number '744,235 filedon April 26, 1947 now Patent Number 2,532,485 according to which ananti-skid tread for footwear comprises an open link chain connected atintermediate positions of its length to thin studs adapted to be securedto the tread surface of footwear, the respective lengths of chain be-vtween adjoining studs constituting flexible sections carable when fittedto a tread surface of limited displacement and operating as abutmentsbetween ground and tread surfaces, said chain being connected to saidstuds by split pins, said split pins engaging the links and centralholes in said studs, the heads of said split pins forming anchorages forsaid chain and the shanks of said pins being clinched against the upperside of said studs. With the parent invention the studs are nailed tothe soles and heels of footwear and experience has shown that diicultyarises in maintaining the studs in the required positions during nailingin that when fixing has been accomplished it is found that one or moreof the chain sections are tensioned more Athan others and as a resultundue stress is imposed on the split pin anchorage and which during thewearing of the footwear exerts a pull on the studs tending to loosen thenails and render the antiskid footwear less eiiicient; moreover, suchtensioned sections fail to provide the required iiexibility betweenadjoining studs.

The object of the present invention is to provide anti-skid treads andanti-skid footwear in which these disadvantages are absent.

According to the present invention in an antiskid tread as described inthe specification referred to, the studs to which the chain is connectedare moulded integral with an India-rubber tread forming yieldingabutments for the chain so that during use the actual treads of footweardo not become scored by the chain pressure whereas footwear can bereadily converted for normal use simply by removal of the nonslip tread.

According to an embodiment of the invention,

the integral studs of India-rubber sole and heel treads each have anaxial hole for reception of a split pin engaged with a link of thechain, the Shanks of the pin being splayed or bent into recesses mouldedin the inner surface of the tread, so that these shanks can lie flushwith the said inner surfaces thus enabling the cementing of the latterflush with actual soles and heels of footwear. The hole in each stud isof sufcient size to prevent the head of the split pin breaking throughwhereas the tread of the footwear resists forces tending to straightenthe Shanks.

A typical example of anti-skid treads and of such treads fitted to afootball boot is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the underside of the football boot.

Fig. 2 shows an underside plan drawn to a larger scale of heel and soletreads seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of Fig. 2 taken on the dotted lineA-A.

In the drawing, the sole and heel parts I, 2, of the football boot haveIndia-rubber treads 3 cemented thereto, the outer surface of the treadsr3 having studs 4 moulded integral therewith. An

open link chain 5 is securely anchored to each stud 4 by means of simplecotter or split pins 6 threaded on individual links up to the heads 1 ofthe pins 6. The Shanks 8 are threaded through an axial hole 9 in eachstud 4 and then splayed or bent outwardly and clinched into adiametrically arranged recess I0 moulded in the underside I I. With thisarrangement, the bent shanks B lie flush with the underside II so thatthe latter can be cemented or nailed flush with the sole and heel partsI, 2, flexible lengths of chain are ensured between adjoining studs 4without requiring skill on the part of the fitter of the sole and heeltreads 3, and no skill is required on the part of the tter to ensurethat the sections of chain between adjoining studs have the necessaryexibility to admit of limited displacement during their pperation asabutments between the sole and heel parts and the ground.

The* holes 9 in the studs 4 receive the heads l of the pins 6 in tightfit vand the extensible walls of the holes hold the heads in positionunder resilient pressure prior to securing of the treads 3 to the soleand heel parts I, 2, but when secured the parts I, 2, resists forcestending to straighten the shanks 8.

Under the invention, the provision of readily attachable India-rubbertread sections with the chain sections already and correctly attached tothe integral studs enables the attachment of the tread sections tofootwear to be accomplished quickly and successfully without exercise ofskill; the co-acting engagement between chain sections and treadsections provides a cushioning i 4 holes in the studs and the Shanks ofsaid pins being bent into recesses on the inner surface of said tread sothat said shanks lie flush with said inner surface.

2. Sports footwear having anti-skid tread comprising India-rubber soleand heel treads secured at their inner surface to the footwear andprovided on their outer surface with integral studs, an open link chainconnected at intermediate positions of its length to said studs, saidconnections consisting of split pins engaging chain links and centralholes in the studs and the shanks of said pins being bent into recesseson the inner surface of said tread so that said Shanks lie flush itsouter surface with integral studs, an open link 15 with said innersurface.

chain connected at intermediate positions of its length to said studs,said connections consisting of split pins engaging chain links andcentral LESLIE HORACE BOWLING, SEN.

No references cited.

